South Korean President Yoon Seo-yeol data map. Photo/Xinhua News Agency
According to reports, from September 19 to 21, South Korean President Yoon Seo-yeol met with US President Biden three times in three days to try to coordinate South Korea-US relations, especially the adverse clauses of the US "Inflation Reduction Act" that has recently caused strong dissatisfaction with South Korea.
The so-called "three days and three sides" refers to the fact that the late Queen Elizabeth II of England held a reception on September 19 due to the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II of England, and the current King Charles III of England, and both Biden and Yoon Seok-hyeon attended; on September 21, New York, USA, held the "Seventh Global Fund Supplementary Funding Conference", and both Biden and Yoon Seok-hyeon were both present; later on the same day, Biden and his wife hosted the reception, and Yoon Seok-hyeon was invited to attend.
"in the same frame" three times in the past three days, and both of them discussed issues such as the "Inflation Reduction Act". In these three days and three sides, the longest "reception meeting" was not discussed for half an hour, and the shortest "supplementary fund meeting" lasted only 48 seconds according to witnesses. Both sides did not even have time to find a bench to sit down, which was also a record for the meeting of the head of state.
Moreover, even in such a short "meeting", Biden still forcibly stuffed content that the United States is more concerned about, such as "military cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea" and "jointly responding to the security crisis on the peninsula", and Yoon Seok-yeol probably couldn't say a few words. Therefore, South Korean media reported that the expected formal meeting between the South Korean and the United States is difficult to hold, and South Korea's dissatisfaction is difficult to eliminate.
US President Biden’s data map. Photo/Xinhua News Agency
Three days and three sides, with little effect
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed and put into effect on August 16 by US President Biden. The bill stipulates that at least 50% of the components of electric vehicle battery components must be manufactured and assembled in North America, otherwise the federal tax credit they enjoy will be cancelled from January next year.
This new bill will cause the interests of two major South Korean auto brands, Hyundai and its sub-brand Kia . Given the important position of modern times in South Korea's economy and society, once the relevant provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are implemented, the losses of interests suffered by South Korea can be considered "strategic".
obviously realized the seriousness of this problem. South Korean President Yoon Seo-hye conveyed South Korean concerns to Biden and proposed that the two sides cooperate closely to strive for the US to eliminate South Korean concerns in the process of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden said that the US is very clear about South Korea's concerns and proposed to continue to maintain communication and coordination in the future.
Before this trip, Yoon Seok-yeol said early that he would talk seriously, but he seemed to know the difficulty of this "talk", so he instructed the deputy national security adviser Kim Tae-hyo to "show off", saying that "in view of the hasty arrangements, Yoon Seok-yeol and Biden's talks may be shorter, such as only half an hour." Because of this, the opposition Democratic Party, before the trip, questioned "what can be discussed in half an hour."
However, Yoon Seo-yeol was still too optimistic, and Biden was reluctant to give him half an hour - three days and three sides, the longest was less than half an hour, and the shortest was only 48 seconds. As for the results of the meeting, even according to the South Korean side, Biden only expressed "very clear" and "continue to communicate" with Yoon Seo-yeol's complaints, without giving any comfort, let alone concessions.
As some analysts pointed out in advance, the Biden administration team is a team made up of multiple factions, and the positions of different factions on globalization and trade issues are very different. The new document called the Inflation Reduction Act is actually like the "Trade Protectionism Act", which actually reflects the wishes of the "Progressives" among the Democrats in Congress. Now that the midterm election is approaching, Biden, who is in a bad situation, dares not innovate with the Inflation Reduction Act at this moment.
It was the U.S. Congress that passed the Inflation Cut Act, and President Biden did not have much room for maneuver. Photo/Xinhua News Agency
is careless and makes a sensation, causing a sensation
Perhaps realizing that the root of the Inflation Cutdown Act lies in the US Congress, Yoon Seo-hye "broken" on September 21.
When attending the "Global Fund Seventh Supplementary Funding Conference" that day, Yoon Seok-yeol saw that the official meeting had not yet begun and there was no one around, so he asked his assistant with the words "stained". South Korean media said that Yoon Seo-hye insulted the US Congress and mentioned Biden in his related speeches, which caused huge controversy.
Yong Seok-yeol did not realize that the microphone in front of him was on. The recording was quickly spread to the online social platform and quickly caused a sensation in South Korea and the United States. The number of clicks on related videos exceeded 2 million in just two hours, and became the number one hot topic of South Korea's Twitter the next day. After the public opinion fermented, South Korean Presidential Office responded to this on the evening of the 22nd that Yoon Seo-hyun insulted in his related speeches was not the US Congress, but the South Korean Congress, and he did not mention Biden.
But the direct consequence of this matter is that the "main topic" that Yoon Seo-yeol and Biden were originally going to talk about on "three days and three sides" - the "Inflation Reduction Act" was ignored. Anyway, no matter what Zi Chou Yin-mao can be discussed.
Yoon Seok-yeol has not had a good life recently: his approval rating was only 52% on the first day of his tenure, far lower than his predecessor Moon Jae-in's 70% of the same period. In recent times, his approval rating has continued to be sluggish. At one time, hit the bottom of to 24%. Although it has risen slightly to 32%, it is still seriously low.
This time, his and Biden’s “three days and three sides” and “microphone misrepresentation” in New York can also be regarded as a stress response under the above-mentioned pressure: “three days and three sides” are eager to achieve success, while “microphone misrepresentation” is a complaint that cannot be explained to the Chinese people by “seeking but not getting”.
Written by Tao Short House (columnist)
Editing / He Rui
Proofreading / Zhao Lin
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